Animal Profile

Angelo is at risk due to behavioral concerns. Angelo has not acclimated well to the shelter enviornment and has displayed a high degree of leash biting, which has made walking him safely challenging. Once aroused, it has been difficult to redirect him even when offered treats or squeakers. In calmer settings, he will approach and jump on handlers with a loose body when off leash in the behavior office. He follows treats down but does not take them. On one occasion, Angelo became aroused on a walk after a stranger attempted to gain his attention and immediately began leash biting. When returning Angelo to his kennel, he has bitten and pulled leashes into the kennel. When trying to remove the lead from his kennel, Angelo will bite and pull tools into the kennel as well. Medically, Angelo is apparently healthy.

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This pet needs emergency placement. Please click here to go to our emergency placement page for more information. This pet is available only through ACC New Hope partners. To adopt or foster, please complete the pre-screener form below. Inquiries sent directly to ACC will not receive a response. Pre-Screener Form Angelo is at risk due to behavioral concerns. Angelo has not acclimated well to the shelter enviornment and has displayed a high degree of leash biting, which has made walking him safely challenging. Once aroused, it has been difficult to redirect him even when offered treats or squeakers. In calmer settings, he will approach and jump on handlers with a loose body when off leash in the behavior office. He follows treats down but does not take them. On one occasion, Angelo became aroused on a walk after a stranger attempted to gain his attention and immediately began leash biting. When returning Angelo to his kennel, he has bitten and pulled leashes into the kennel. When trying to remove the lead from his kennel, Angelo will bite and pull tools into the kennel as well. Medically, Angelo is apparently healthy. Angelo entered the care center as a stray, so we do not have any history on his behavior in a home environment. During his stay at the care center, Angelo has shown a low threshold for arousal, intensely biting and pulling on the leash when being leashed up and returned to his kennel. He has shown social behavior with staff, soliciting attention during his intake and medical examination, and approaching handlers with a loose body, jumping up in a social manner. Due to the high arousal behavior observed, we recommend that Angelo be placed in an adult-only home through a New Hope partner, who can provide positive reinforcement-based, force-free behavior modification.

My medical notes are...

Weight: 63 lbs

Medical Notes

9/28/2026

DVM Intake Exam Estimated age: ~2-5 years based on dentition / condition Microchip noted on Intake? Scanned negative History: Agency Subjective: BARH, pink moist mm, CRT <2s Observed Behavior - Friendly, soliciting attention, hyperactive / excitable Is there evidence of suspected cruelty? No Objective: P = WNL R = WNL BCS 5/9 EENT: Eyes clear, ears clean, no nasal or ocular discharge noted, AU cropped Oral Exam: Mild staining of dentition PLN: No enlargements noted H/L: NSR, NMA, CRT < 2s, Lungs clear, eupneic, negative ITC ABD: Soft, nonpainful, no masses palpated U/G: Male - intact, two symmetrical scrotal testicles MSI: Ambulatory x 4, full orthopedic exam not performed INT: Healthy hair coat, no masses noted, no ectoparasites seen CNS: Mentation appropriate - no signs of neurologic abnormalities Rectal: Normal externally Wood's Lamp Exam: Not performed Assessment: Apparently healthy MI young adult mixed breed Prognosis: Good Plan: OK for appropriate intake tasks ADD Trazodone 225mg (~7.5mg/kg) PO BID TFN SURGERY: Okay for surgery

10/1/2026

DVM Behavioral Medication Consultation S/O: -63 lb (28.6 kg) dog currently receiving Trazodone 225 mg PO BID (~7.9 mg/kg/dose). -Per behavior observations, P displays significant overarousal with intense leash/object fixation and biting. Has repeatedly grabbed and pulled on handler leash, at times nearly contacting handler's hand. -During recent behavior session, P was highly active, jumping on handlers and repeatedly biting/grabbing leash, hook and squeegee during attempts to return/remove equipment. -P was poorly responsive to food/treat redirection during periods of high arousal. A: -High arousal with persistent leash/object fixation and biting, creating handling/safety concerns. -Inadequately controlled on current medication regimen. P: -Increase Trazodone to 300 mg PO BID indefinitely (~10.5 mg/kg/dose). -Start Gabapentin 600 mg PO BID indefinitely (~21 mg/kg/dose). -Start Clonidine 0.6 mg PO BID indefinitely (~0.021 mg/kg/dose). -CTM behavior and response to medications; adjust regimen as indicated.

Details on my behavior are...

Behavior Condition: 1. Green

Behavior History
Behavior Assessment

Date of intake:: 10/27/2026

Spay/Neuter status:: No

Means of surrender (length of time in previous home):: Stray, no known history

Date of assessment:: 10/1/2026

Summary:: Angelo has shown a low threshold for arousal while in the care center, resulting in persistent leash biting, at times in close proximity to handlers' hands, that cannot be redirected with treats. When being returned to his kennel after a training session, Angelo grabbed the leash and pulled it into the kennel with him, biting and pulling at the hook the handler then used to try and remove it. Due to the intensity of his arousal in these situations, a handling assessment is not conducted.

Summary (6):: 10/3/26: Angelo is standing up at his kennel door as handler approaches. He is able to be leashed with ease and is then taken outside for a walk. On the walk, he has a tense body as he pulls hard ahead to sniff around. After relieving himself, he then continues to pull hard ahead while hard staring at a group of handlers across the street. When entering back into the gate and beginning to walk down the ramp, he then begins to jump up and bite at the handler's leash. He is able to drop the leash for only a split second when the handler tosses treats, but he then goes back to grabbing the leash. He does not respond to a squeaker and does not respond to the pet correct that was pressed twice. The handler then continues to walk back down the ramp to the building as they stiff arm him as he continues to intensely tug at the leash while also flailing it around in his mouth. The handler continues to quickly walk down the hallway as he continues to intensely leash bite and they quickly muscle him inside of his kennel with the leash without clipping it. When the handler returns back with a hook, he then grabs the leash again and tugs at it as the handler attempts to pull it out with the hook. He is able to drop it for a split second when the handler slides in treats. But he ignores them and tries to grab the leash again when the handler quickly pulls the leash out of the kennel.

Summary (7):: 10/1/26: Angelo is standing up at his kennel door as handler approaches. He is able to be leashed with ease and is then taken outside for a walk. On the walk, he has a tense body as he pulls hard ahead and would constantly stop walking to stare in the directions of where sudden sounds would happen. He is comfortable approaching the handlers and would jump up. He is able to be redirected when treats are tossed on the ground but he does not eat them. As he is relieving himself, a member of the public is passing by far away and then gets closer and start to make kissing sound towards him. Angelo then tries to pull towards the person as they continue walking, and handler is backing him away. He then begins to jump up and bite at the handler's leash. He is able to drop the leash for only a split second when the handler tosses treats, but he then goes back to grabbing the leash. The handler then begins to walk back to the building as they stiff arm him as he continues to hold the leash in his mouth. The handler then squeaks and squeaker and he is able to drop the leash. He is then taken back into the building to return back to his kennel. When entering his kennel he then quickly spins around and grabs the leash and begins to tug at it. He is able to drop it for split second when the handler tosses treats. But he ignores them and tries to grab the leash again when the handler quickly pulls the leash out of the kennel. 09/30/26 (Trainer Note): Angelo is standing on his hind legs at the front of kennel with a loose body as handler approaches. He is leashed using a treat magnet and pulls hard to the canine behavior office. He is put on a drag leash. Angelo runs around the room, approaching and jumping on handlers with a loose body. He is uninterested in any treat offered. When attempting to leash him, Angelo fixates on handlers leash, handler puts it behind their back and proceeds to use a treat magnet and a large loop to leash him. Upon returning to kennel, Angelo bites handlers leash and pulls it into kennel with him. When handler attempts using a hook he begins to bite at it despite handler throwing copious amounts of treat into his kennel. The hook is unable to reach the leash and handler has to use squeegee to slowly drag the leash forward. He remains uninterested in treats and bites at the squeegee. When leash is close enough to the front, handler tries to use a hook but Angelo begin to bite and pull the hook into kennel. Handler tosses m ore treats onto his head from the top part of the kennel and is able to remove the leash with the hook in a swift motion. 09/29/26: Its reported that Angelo was leashing biting with ACS's and would start intensely leashing biting almost biting the handler's hand and will be prompted to be brought back into the care center and returned back to his kennel.

Date of intake:: 10/27/2026

Summary:: Friendly

Date of initial:: 10/28/2026

Summary:: Friendly, soliciting attention, hyperactive/excitable

ENERGY LEVEL:: We have no history on Angelo so we cannot be certain of his behavior in a home environment. However, he is a young, active dog who has presented as high energy in the care center and will need daily mental and physical activity to keep him engaged and exercised. We recommend long-lasting chews, food puzzles, and hide-and-seek games, in additional to physical exercise, to positively direct his energy and enthusiasm.

BEHAVIOR DETERMINATION:: New Hope Only

Recommendations:: No children (under 13),Place with a New Hope partner

Recommendations comments:: No children: Due to Angelo's arousal and resulting leash biting behavior, we recommend an adult-only home at this time. Place with a New Hope partner: Due to Angelo's low threshold for arousal and the intensity of his leash biting behavior in the care center, we recommend placement with a New Hope partner who can provide any necessary behavior modification (force-free, positive reinforcement-based) and re-evaluate behavior in a stable home environment before placement into a permanent home.

Potential challenges: : Basic manners/poor impulse control,Leash-biting,Low threshold for arousal

Potential challenges comments:: Leash biting: Angelo has shown persistent leash biting while at the care center, grabbing the leash in his mouth as staff have attempted to leash him up and return him to his kennel. We recommend walking him with a toy to dissuade him from grabbing the leash. Positive reinforcement, force-free training is advised to teach him to focus on you rather than grabbing the leash. Please see handout on Leash Manners. Basic Manners/Poor Impulse Control | Low threshold for arousal: Angelo has shown a low threshold for arousal while in the care center, leash biting and jumping up on handlers. He needs guidance to learn how to appropriately channel his energy when he becomes overstimulated. He will need daily mental and physical stimulation and exercise, and force-free, positive reinforcement-based training may help her to learn impulse control and to train desirable behaviors that can be rewarded. Please see handouts on Basic Manners and Impulse Control and Arousal.